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New Research Provides Key Insights in Advance of New Healthcare Exchanges Going into Effect on October 1, 2013

New York, New York (PRWEB)September 30, 2013

Univision Communications Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America, and Phoenix Marketing International, a premiere global market research firm, today released findings of new research about Hispanic health and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This study is the latest example of Univision’s awareness efforts around the ACA, and part of the Company’s larger mission of informing, entertaining and empowering U.S. Hispanics – with a focus on health, education, civic engagement and personal finance.

With the new law setting up health insurance exchanges to open on October 1, 2013 for healthcare choices that go into effect in 2014, this study shows that Hispanics are more engaged, are more likely to enroll and, once insured, will drive an increase in demand for healthcare services. But, the study also showed that one of the biggest obstacles to being insured is a lack of information.

“Hispanic Americans have many questions about how the new Affordable Care Act will affect individuals and families,” said Roberto Ruiz, senior vice president, Strategy & Insights, Univision Communications Inc. “With approximately 10.2 million currently uninsured U.S. Hispanics eligible for health insurance coverage next year, it’s up to all of us – media companies, healthcare marketers, insurers, providers and more – to make sure they are armed with what they need to make sense of it all.”

The research findings – derived by comparing like-for-like populations who are uninsured and eligible for the ACA – include:

Hispanic optimism also applies to health and wellness - 62 percent feel hopeful about the future of their own health (vs. 42 percent non-Hispanic).

Cost is the main barrier to coverage for uninsured Hispanics - 51 percent of those surveyed said that cost is often the greatest barrier to receiving regular healthcare services.

Overall, the survey confirms the opportunity represented by the Hispanic population, which is more likely to enroll in ACA coverage than non-Hispanics (33 percent vs. 27 percent). In fact, 46 percent of Spanish-only Hispanics stated they are “very likely to buy health insurance,” with an additional 47 percent being “somewhat likely to buy” (vs. 21 percent for non-Hispanics). Seventy one percent of total respondents that said they were likely to buy would do so within three months.

Children are a clear driver of purchase intent among Hispanics. Hispanic parents were 23 percent more likely to say they planned to buy health insurance and 14 percent more likely to say they would do so “as soon as enrollment begins” as Hispanics with no children.

One key obstacle for both Hispanics and non-Hispanics (52 percent vs. 40 percent) is the need for more information before deciding to buy, suggesting more outreach is required. According to the survey, once insured, Hispanic patients will increase their use of services for themselves and their children, and reduce utilization of the emergency room. “However, some Hispanics have a preference for health clinics, and many say they will continue to use them after acquiring health insurance,” said Ken Kerr, VP, Phoenix Healthcare.

Also, nearly 7 out of 10 Hispanics said that the traditional doctor would be the number one service they will most likely use once enrolled, and about a third suggested they will change their HCP once insured. Overall, newly-insured Hispanics are most likely to say they will seek healthcare services 2-3 times per year.

This Univision and Phoenix Marketing International study was conducted among a national sample of 1,202 respondents 18 and older during July 2013, with supplemental sampling in key DMAs (Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Chicago and New York). The study included Hispanics and Non-Hispanics who were uninsured at the time of the research, but eligible for health insurance assistance based on household size and income (below 400 percent FPL). The Hispanic sample was composed of self-identified Hispanics and balanced to be representative of language spoken in household according to Nielsen, as well as country of origin according to the Census. The survey was administered online and in person, and all participants had the option to complete the survey in English or Spanish.

About Univision Communications Inc.
Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) is the leading media company serving Hispanic America. Its assets include Univision Network, one of the top five networks in the U.S. regardless of language and the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the country reaching 96 percent of U.S. Hispanic households; UniMás, a leading Spanish-language broadcast television network reaching 89 percent of U.S. Hispanic households; Univision Cable Networks, including Galavisión, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network, as well as Univision tlnovelas, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to novelas, Univision Deportes Network, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to sports, ForoTV, a 24-hour Spanish-language cable network dedicated to news, and an additional suite of six cable offerings - De Película, De Película Clásico, Bandamax, Ritmoson, Telehit and Distrito Comedia; UVideos, the first bilingual digital network serving Hispanic America; Univision Studios, which produces and co-produces reality shows, dramatic series and other programming formats for the Company’s platforms; Univision Television Group, which owns and/or operates 62 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Hispanic radio group which owns and/or operates 69 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Interactive, a network of products and offerings including Univision.com, which continues to be the No. 1 most-visited Spanish-language website among U.S. online Hispanics, Univision Móvil, a longstanding industry-leader with unique, relevant mobile products and services, and Univision Partner Group, a specialized advertising and publisher network. Headquartered in New York City, UCI has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, please visit Univision.net

About Phoenix Marketing International
Phoenix Marketing International is a premier global marketing services firm providing its clients with tailored, unique insight into their customers and markets via a wealth of existing proprietary data. Coupled with custom research products and the latest qualitative and quantitative techniques, Phoenix has extensive research experience across the Automotive, Financial Services, Healthcare, Converged Technology and Media, Restaurant, and Travel/Leisure sectors. From the strategic definition of consumer needs to effective marketing program implementation, PMI provides profit-driven market solutions and is committed to maximizing a client’s Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) by leveraging the ability to attract and retain new business through cost efficient data acquisition and statistical modeling techniques.

Phoenix Healthcare, a division of Phoenix Marketing International, offers a rare, comprehensive view of the dynamic healthcare market. In addition to physician and patient research, Phoenix routinely interviews payers and other healthcare influencers using its database of managed care and ACO contacts. Phoenix Healthcare is also working on a number of initiatives around the Affordable Care Act.